The present invention relates to vehicle electronics and particularly to a system for entering data and.backslash.or control commands to a vehicle electrical circuit.
With the increasing use of microprocessors in vehicles for a variety of vehicle control functions, interaction between the vehicle operator and the microprocessor for programming options and the like is frequently necessary. Although a keyboard can be employed, it requires an excessive amount of space in a vehicle such as an automobile. If a numerical keypad is employed such a data entry system requires the operator to understand for each command to be entered, the corresponding numerical entry number or numbers to carry out the desired command. Further, the use of a keyboard or keypad, particularly if the vehicle in operation is very distracting and could result inattentiveness to driving functions.
A voice actuated control system has been proposed and is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,520 issued on May 20, 1989 and assigned to the present assignee. Although such a system provides hands-free control of a variety of vehicle options utilizing a microprocessor, it requires training to each one of the vehicle operator's voices and somewhat complicated and expensive electronics at current levels of technology.